Nova Scotia was one of the four original provinces to join Confederation in 1867. Modeled on the British system, the province has what is known as a 'parliamentary democracy' form of government which ensures stability, security and continuity.

Air
Halifax Robert L. Stanfield International Airport, home to 27 air carriers and traffic of 3.5 million passengers annually, is the best-equipped airport in Atlantic Canada. It is the only airport in the region with a U.S. preclearance facility, making connections easier and giving passengers access to more U.S. airports. In 2010, Halifax Stanfield was rated by passengers as the Best Airport in the World in its class (under 5 million) for the seventh year in a row.

Major airports with service connecting to all key Atlantic Canadian destinations are also located in Yarmouth and Sydney. Numerous smaller facilities are located throughout the province to serve private craft and flying clubs.

Rail
Over 1000 kilometers (600 miles) of rail line are in service in Nova Scotia. CN operates the primary inland rail connection linking regional and international shippers to markets throughout Canada and the United States. In addition, CN offers access to an extensive intermodal service through its Halifax Richmond Terminal and service to two container terminals.

There are two shortline railways under provincial jurisdiction providing service to regional and local shippers. VIA Rail, Canada’s inter-city passenger rail service operates the Ocean, a six-day a week transcontinental passenger rail service, between Halifax and Montreal.

Road
There are approximately 23,000 kilometers of highways in Nova Scotia. The TransCanada and 100-series highways are all-weather, mostly controlled-access and high speed system that joins with the New Brunswick TransCanada Highway to points in Canada and the United States. Acadian Lines provides a public bus service seven days a week that links to most major communities within the province.

Water
There are many excellent harbor ports that dot the coastline of the province. Nova Scotia is home to several of the world’s finest and most sophisticated deep-water ports on the East Coast of North America. The province is ideally suited to 21st century sea-going trade and commerce, offering ice free harbors reaching depths of 18 meters at low tide. Nova Scotia features some of the most modern container terminals in the world, with on-dock rail services and the capability to handle the most varied ro-ro and dimensional load cargoes present.

Nova Scotia offers the shortest ocean voyage times for trade across the North Atlantic, through the Mediterranean, into the Suez and around the world. The province contains one of the very few eastern seaboard ports able to accommodate post-Panamax ships. With more than 20 direct container liner services as well as transshipment and feeder services, Nova Scotia plays a vital role in serving world markets.

Nova Scotia is part of the Canada/New England cruise corridor. More than 20 major cruise lines visit Nova Scotia ports of call. From the marquee ports of Halifax and Sydney, to the smaller ports of call, a variety of shore excursions will provide rich cultural experiences to suit every taste.

Geography

The Province of Nova Scotia covers an area of 55,500 sq. km. The mainland part of the Province is connected to New Brunswick and the remainder of Canada by the 28 km. Isthmus of Chignecto. Cape Breton Island is joined to the mainland by the Canso Causeway. Nova Scotia is located at 59° to 67° Longitude and 43° to 48° Latitude. This places Halifax, the capital city, south of Paris, Vienna, Minneapolis and Portland, Oregon. The coastline stretches for 7,400km, but the overall length of the Province is only 575km, while average width is 130km. No part of Nova Scotia is more than 56 km (35 miles) from the sea.

Average daily temperatures at Halifax range from –6° Celsius in January to +18.6° Celsius in July. Rainfall on an annual basis averages 1,356.1 millimeters.

Oil and Gas Infrastructure

The Sable Offshore Energy Project (SOEP) is producing about 350 million cubic feet of natural gas per day carried by international pipelines to Canadian and U.S. markets. SOEP supplies the equivalent of up to 15 per cent of gas consumed in the northeastern United States. The SOEP includes the onshore Goldboro Gas Plant and a fractionation plant in Point Tupper on Cape Breton Island. The plant, located in Goldboro, occupies a 45 hectare site and has a processing capability of 17 million cubic metres per day.

Natural gas liquids from the Goldboro Plant are separated and transported via a buried pipeline to Point Tupper for fractionation. With a processing capability of 20,000 barrels of liquid per day, the liquids are separated into propane, butane and condensate.

The Maritimes and Northeast Pipeline, a joint venture of Spectra Energy, Emera Inc. and ExxonMobil, is a 1400 kilometer transmission pipeline system that provides direct access to the large northeastern United States market and has the capacity to handle gas from additional projects in Nova Scotia's offshore.

Encana's Deep Panuke Project involves the production of natural gas from an offshore field located approximately 250 kilometers southeast of Halifax. Natural gas will be processed on the offshore production field centre (PFC) and transported, via subsea pipeline, to Goldboro, Nova Scotia, for further transport to markets in Canada and the northeastern United States via the Maritimes & Northeast Pipeline.

The gas processing system will include inlet compression, separation, sweetening, dehydration, export compression and measurement. Deep Panuke is considered a sour gas reservoir and sweetening equipment is required. First gas production is targeted for 2011, with a capacity for 300 million cubic feet per day.

With a competitive economic regime, proximity to North American markets and strong potential for additional commercial reserves, Nova Scotia offers a competitive advantage to offshore exploration and development.

Supply Community

Nova Scotia is home to Canada's first offshore natural gas discovery and first offshore oil production project. Nearly forty years of offshore exploration and production experience have allowed companies the opportunity to develop world-class expertise. The local labour force consists of skilled workers with a strong work ethic in virtually every trade.

The province's 300 energy service companies are recognized internationally for their expertise in training, engineering, construction, transportation, research and specialized services. They have been actively working on projects in the Gulf of Mexico, the Caribbean, West Africa and India. New markets of interest also include China, the Middle East, Europe and Latin America.

Education and Training

Nova Scotia enjoys more post-secondary institutions per capita than any other region in North America, with ready access to these institutions across the province. Programs include geology, petroleum operations, electrical technologies, marine trades and offshore safety and survival training. In fact, Nova Scotia has set the international standard for offshore safety training.

Our universities and colleges also offer energy workers tailor-made training in a variety of disciplines. A consultative approach is used to design customized programs for delivery in Nova Scotia or anywhere else in the world.